Coming To Terms
by CupcakeGal
Summary: Part 1: Emma didn't know why her mother was avoiding any mention of her pregnancy…but she was going to find out. Part 2: If anyone had told Emma a few years ago that she'd be searching with her father for baby items for her unborn brother or sister, she'd have told them they were crazy. A post 3x11 two-shot.
1. Snow

**Coming To Terms**

_Summary: Emma didn't know why her mother was avoiding any mention of her pregnancy…but she was going to find out. A post 3x11 one-shot._

_A/N: This is set in a speculative future where everyone's back in Storybrooke with their memories, including Emma. Apart from that, there isn't any other spoilers I don't think besides from the obvious ;) If you like this, let me know and I might just add a second part with Emma and Daddy!Charming…_

_Disclaimer: OUAT and all of its characters belong to ABC…all I own is a distinct lack of patience while waiting for March 9__th__…_

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"Hey."

Emma looked up from hanging her coat beside the front door to see Snow sitting at the kitchen table, books and pamphlets littering the surface around her. Yes, she was Snow or Mom now to Emma…Snow because she'd returned from the Enchanted Forest much more like her former self than Mary Margaret and Mom because, well, Emma was finally ready to call her that out loud. It was amazing how your perspective could change when you spent a year apart living with false memories in your head.

"Hey," Emma replied back, gratefully sinking into the chair across from her mother, "What's all this?"

A light flush infused Snow's cheeks and she quickly started to stack all of her things together hurriedly.

"Nothing, just some catalogues and books."

Emma peered closer to see that they were all baby-related. It had been a little bit of a shock to find out Snow was four months pregnant when they'd been reunited a few weeks ago but deep down, she'd sort of expected it. After Neverland, she knew her mother wanted another child and given the way her parents acted with each other, the fact it took them less than a year to conceive one was no surprise. However, she hadn't had much of a chance to discuss it with Snow because just like she was now, she seemed to be actively avoiding bringing it up around Emma…and that needed to stop.

"You don't have to do that."

"Do what?" Snow asked distractedly as she accidently knocked one of the books off the table. Emma picked it up before her mother had even started to bend and placed it firmly down in front of herself.

"You know what," Emma said firmly waving her hand across the contents of the table in emphasis, "Avoiding talking about or even mentioning the fact that you're pregnant."

"I don't…"

Snow trailed off midsentence, her posture slumping in defeat as she caught Emma's raised brow in response to her attempted denial.

"Mom?" Emma prompted when the silence had dragged on for a beat too long. It was that small word, a reminder that her daughter had returned with a more open emotional outlook that had Snow spilling words that she'd only shared with Charming before.

"I felt so guilty. I wanted to have another child so badly but when I found out I was pregnant, all I could think about was you. This baby would grow up with everything you didn't get to have and wouldn't even remember you could have had and I just…"

Tears were welling quickly in Snow's eyes and Emma knew they could only partly be blamed on the fluctuating hormones brought on by pregnancy. Reaching across the table, she trapped Snow's wringing hands beneath her own, gently calming them down.

"Even after we were reunited, the feeling hasn't gone away. I thought, if I didn't make a big deal out of the fact that I was pregnant, you wouldn't feel like…"

"Like you were trying to replace me?" Emma filled in, watching Snow slowly nod in agreement.

She sat back with a sigh. She had a feeling it was something like this and she could see how much it weighed on her mom. If only Snow had said something earlier…

"I don't feel that way, like you're replacing me," Emma started, trying to organize her words in a way which would make Snow understand.

"Look, I won't tell you I wasn't a little upset when you first said you wanted to have another baby for the same reasons you just said but a lot has happened since then."

She looked up to make sure her mother was listening closely, then took a deep breath and admitted a feeling she had been holding onto in secret herself.

"When I was pregnant, I never let myself think about the future. I didn't have any dreams about what my son would be like because I knew I wasn't going to keep him. But now I have these memories. Memories of raising Henry and even though I know they're not real, I cling to them with everything I have because from the moment he knocked on my door a part of me wished that I'd never given him up. Now I know what it would have been like if I didn't, I wouldn't give those memories up for anything. "

Emma stopped momentarily when she felt Snow squeeze her hand and she gave her a small smile in response.

"But you don't have even one memory of raising me even though you had all these plans and dreams for me. I can't really imagine how much that must hurt, especially since I haven't been the most receptive person in regards to your parenting."

A small snort of agreement involuntarily escaped Snow's lips and Emma shot her a look of amused annoyance. She was self-aware enough to know that she hadn't made things easy for her parents, but their persistence had actually helped her come to terms with everything. If they could still love her despite her constant rebuttal, she knew that nothing would ever diminish how they felt about her. Which made her next words extremely easy and very sincere.

"So, I want you to have that. To be able to experience everything you missed out on. I am so glad you have the chance to be a mother from the very beginning because I know you'll be amazing. After all, you have been to me despite the circumstances we found ourselves in. I can't promise that I won't feel a little sad or left out at times, but I can promise to try and be the best big sister and daughter that I can be."

She'd barely finished her sentence before Snow was out of her chair, wrapping her arms around her in a loving embrace. Emma didn't even hesitate to return the hug, resting her head on her mother's shoulder with small sigh. She'd missed this, and the small bump Emma could feel between them only made her feel like she was hugging not just her mom but family.

A few moments passed before Snow pulled back, hands wiping at the tears which were still falling from her eyes, though this time out of happiness. She'd underestimated her daughter and her words had healed a scar upon her heart that she thought she would carry forever. Her worry about her family's future disappeared in the face of the knowledge that Emma was happy about their family expanding and Snow allowed herself to truly revel in the joy of being pregnant for the first time.

"Thank you," she whispered, relief shining in her eyes, unable to think of anything else to say.

"No problem," Emma replied with a grin, her own eyes suspiciously bright with tears.

"Now, why don't you show me what you've been looking at? After all, it's my responsibility to make sure my baby brother or sister has the best of everything."

Snow laughed, retaking her seat and handing some of the pile over to her daughter.

Emma didn't know exactly what the next few months would bring but right now, sitting in their kitchen preparing for the next addition to their family, she knew she'd look forward to every minute of it.


	2. David

_A/N: Ok, I just had to write a second part to this with Emma and David. I didn't really have an outline for this one like I did part one but when I sat down to write, this is what came out. I hope you all enjoy and thank you to anyone who has reviewed so far!_

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If anyone had told Emma a few years ago that she'd be searching with her father for baby items for her unborn brother or sister, she'd have told them they were crazy…then would have had them committed…definitely committed.

Nevertheless here she was, standing uncomfortably in the middle of Storybrooke's lone baby store with an anxious yet excited father at her side. It had been David's idea to surprise Snow with a few things for the baby since she'd had a rather miserable week of mood swings and aches and Emma had found herself volunteering to join him the minute he made the suggestion. It had been an impulsive decision but the touched happiness on David's face when she'd blurted out that she'd like to go with him made it worth it.

Their relationship had only truly begun to blossom in the last month before they'd been separated and with all that had happened since, they hadn't really had a chance to regain the closeness that had started to form. But after the talk with her mother a few weeks ago had brought that relationship even closer, Emma found herself wanting to share the same with her father.

"What do you think of this one?"

David's question brought her mind back to the present and she looked up to see him holding a tiny white onesie embroidered with flitting bluebirds. It looked so small in his hands and for a brief second she imagined herself as a newborn, when she'd been that little and wrapped protectively in his embrace. A small pang of sadness hit her when she realized that he'd only held her the once but she shook it off and focused on the present joy within their family.

"Bluebirds? Really? Isn't that a little…"

"What?"

David's eyebrow raised questioningly but she could see the amusement tugging at his lips.

"You know, with the mom being Snow White and all…"

A true grin broke out across his face at Emma's attempt at tact and he placed the onesie back on the shelf.

"Well, what do you suggest?"

She looked past him at the array of choices. She was determined that her baby sibling would have the best of everything, everything circumstances had prevented her from having and that included their clothes. And if that meant combing through every onesie in the store, then that's what she'd do.

So immersed in searching for the right one, she almost missed the quiet words spoken next to her.

"We had all yours made specially."

Emma glanced sideways to see David looking uncertainly at her out of the corner of his eye. A little unsure of where the conversation was going, the curiosity and openness on her face must've convinced him to continue as he blew out a sigh and explained further.

"We didn't have stores like this in the Enchanted Forest but there was a seamstress who lived in a nearby village who was renowned for her work. When we found out Snow was pregnant, we commissioned her to create some clothes for you to wear in your first days of life. The first time I saw one of them, I remember thinking how…small and delicate it was. It was a little scary to be honest. I'd been around lambs and baby horses all my life but a baby child?"

He stopped for a moment, reaching his hand out to run gently across the sleeve of the onesie closest to him.

"I suppose that was the day it truly hit me…that I was going to be responsible for protecting and guiding and loving a little person so they could grow up to be an amazing adult. I should've known though…"

"Known what?"

David turned to her and with a loving yet determined glint in his eyes, cupped her cheek in his hand.

"Known that even without me, my daughter would grow up to be a wonderful person."

Before coming to Storybrooke, Emma had never been one to cry very much. But between her mother and father, they seemed determined to bring her to tears with their words more often than not and this time was no exception. The hand cupping her cheek moved slightly to brush away the wetness trailing down her cheeks and before she knew it, Emma was wrapped in a warm hug.

She knew they must've made quite the sight but at that moment she didn't care. For someone who'd grown up without a lot of physical affection shown her way, every time David or Snow pulled her into a hug without hesitation healed a tiny hurt inside.

After a while Emma pulled back, swiping at the last few tears on her cheeks. Her father just smiled softly, never one to push. Taking in a deep breath to get herself under control, her eyes slid sideways and caught on something. A slow grin spread across her face, the sudden change in her demeanor leaving David staring at her nonplussed.

"What is it?"

She quickly snatched up what she'd been looking at and hid it behind her back.

"Emma?"

"Don't worry about it, it's something for later. Now let's find what we came here for then pick up some cocoa for Mom and Henry on the way home."

David pursed his lips for a moment but seeing Emma's resolve, he let it go and turned back to the display.

Behind her back, Emma ran her fingers over the cloth. This wasn't for her sibling but the writing on it conveyed something she didn't think she'd ever have the courage to say…and hopefully when she gave it to him, David would understand the meaning.

_I Found My Prince…I Call Him Daddy._


End file.
